Very, very sea sick

So for those who feel the public sector are overpaid, take heed.  Yesterday, my laughingly-called eight-hour shift started at 6:30am.  The planned interaction at 6:30pm with Onychoprion anaethetus via the Royal Yacht Serenity II had to be cancelled as work was running on, not as planned, and I escaped at 7:40pm.  The extra five hours are from the goodness of my heart and not the public purse.

So it was up at 4:15am for the 6am departure and to MaccyD's for immediate nutrition.  Quarter pounder with cheese at 4:30am was no substitute for the usual brekky, but with no chicken nor fish, it was that or nowt.

BirdGuides thoughtfully told me that the bird had gone awol last night; things not looking too good, but feck it, I was up and it was dry.

All aboard at 6:25am (I clearly crossed some meridian between Viet-Cram and Seahouses) and off east on a flat briny.

And no Tern.  Plenty of these tho':

And these:

And hundreds of these:

And by 9am, no freakin' Tern.  So back ashore, with an outstanding offer from the Cap'n that if the little blighter returned, a free second trip out at 1pm.

In to the local office, and four hours or a tad less of toil in service of the public, and a final check of BirdGuides before leaving and no joy.

Ah well, c'est la vie!

C'est la feckin' vie until I checked t'interweb just south of Morpeth and the quarry spotted at 12:54pm.
(Mr Howdon, was it someone from your boat that saw it?)

Bugger!

Someone's Got Too Much Time On Their Hands

10:21 22/06/13

Common Swift

E Yorks

Spurn

5,500 flew south by mid-morning

Equine Resuscitation

Despite my last glass half-empty post, a few good days have emerged, some spoon-fed, some self-initiated.

Bagged my first ever Crameltonian Reed Warbler yesterday thanks to Lord Lindsay of Northburn.

Off out last night and over Plessey Checks, a Peregrine, high and south.  Bonus!

And tonight, a quick check of Arcot for another blast of Acro. scirpaceus and silence BUT this beauty was present!

Belter!